Eyelet.



Nb. 785,281. PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905. H. WALDBN.

,EYELET.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.9, 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented. March 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WALDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED FAST COLOR EYELET COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

EYELET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 785,281, dated March 21, 1905. Application filed January 9, l05. Serial No. 240,245.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WALDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Eyelets, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like refer-' ence characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to eyelets.

One object of the invention is so to form eyelets composed of the materials now commonly used in the manufacture of eyelets that the eyelets will resemble the expensive silkstitched eyelets which are often used in highpriced shoes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an eyelet which will cost less to manufacture, which is not as liable to be damaged during the setting operation, which will not show wear as quickly, and which will also, in addition to or irrespective of the resemblance above noted, be of more ornamental appearance than eyelets formed of similar materials as they have heretofore been made.

My invention comprises an eyelet having a head of wear-resisting material in which alternate depressions and raised portions are formed. Much less wear-resisting material is required for forming an eyelet having a head provided with depressions and raised portions than is required for forming an eyelet having a smooth head of wear-resisting material of the same thickness as the raised portions on the head of my improved eyelet, and the amount of wear-resisting material that is saved by forming the head of the eye-.

let in this manner greatly reduces the cost of the eyelet. The corrugations formed by the depressions and raised portions also make the head of the eyelet more flexible, so that it will yield, and thereby tend to prevent the wear-resisting material from cracking, and thus damaging the eyelet in case said head is subjected to any abnormal strain during the operation of setting the eyelet. Another very desirable feature of an eyelet having a head provided with alternate. depressions and raised portions is that continuous use does not materially change the appearance of the eye let, as the raised portions receive all the wear to which the head of the eyelet is subjected, the depressed portions retaining their luster and imparting a fresh appearance to the eyelet even after the raised portions have become worn.

In the preferred formof my invention the eyelet is formed with a head of wear-resisting material having numerous transverse corrugations, which give to the eyelet when it is inserted in the stock an appearance similar to that of a silk-stitched eyelet. As such an eyelet is expensive and is used only in highpriced shoes, this feature of my improved eyelet is of considerable importance.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of an eyelet which represents the preferred form of my invention much enlarged. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a plurality of my improved eyelets inserted in a shoe-upper.

In the embodiment herein shown, which represents the preferred ,form of my invention, the head 2 of the eyelet is formed of plastic wear-resisting material in which alternate depressions i and raised portions 6 are formed, the barrel 8 of the eyelet being made of metal and provided at its upper end with a flange 10, which is embedded in the covering of wear-resisting material, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the depressions and raised portions extend across the head of the eyelet, each in a direction which is substantially in a chord of the circle in which the head of the eyelet is formed; but it will be. understood that said depressions and raised portions may extend across the head radially or in other directions without departing from the scope of my invention. When this preferred form of my eyelet is inserted in the stock, as shown in Fig. '3, it bears a close resemblance to those eyelets used extensively in high-priced shoes, which are formed by inserting metal eyelets in the stock and then stitching all around the eyelet with silk thread. Such stitched eyelets are expensive, because a high price is paid for the labor required, and this expense is increased considerably by the costof the silk. This feature of my invention is therefore of considerable commercial value.

In addition to the resemblance above explained it should be noted that my eyelet is of itself of very ornamental appearance, and it will also stand wear better than eyelets as heretofore made, inasmuch as the raised portions of wear-resisting material will receive the wear and the depressed portions will remain bright even after the eyelet has received considerable wear. Also when the head of the eyelet is formed in this manner much less wear-resisting material is required than is used in an eyelet having a smooth head of wear-resisting material of the same thickness as that of the raised portions 6 onthe head of my improved eyelet, and as the wear-resisting material generally used is celluloid, which is quite expensive, the cost of manufacture of the eyelet is reduced by the amount of wearresisting material which is saved. The head of the eyelet is rendered more flexible by the corrugations, so that if the setting-dies do not engage the head squarely during the operation of setting the eyelet the head will yield, and thus prevent the wear-resisting material from cracking. This is an important advantage, as a break or crack in the wear-resisting material would constitute such an imperfection in the eyelet as would seriously impair its value.

Having described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An eyelet provided with a head comprising a covering of wear-resisting material and having alternate depressions and raised portions formed on said head.

2. An eyelet provided with ahead of wearresisting material and having corrugations extending transversely of said head.

3. A circular eyelet provided with a head of wear-resisting material. and having alternate depressions and raised. portions extending across said head, each being approximately in a chord of the circle in which the eyelet is formed.

t. An eyelet comprising a barrel portion and a head of plastic material in which the upper end of said barrel portion is embedded, said plastic material having molded therein alternate depressions and raised portions extending across the head of the eyelet.

5. An eyelet having a head comprising a flange provided with a covering of wear-resisting material and having alternate depressions and raised portions formed on said head.

6. An eyelet having a head comprising a flange provided with a covering of wear-resisting material, said covering having corrugations extending transversely thereof.

7. An eyelet comprising a metallic body having an outwardly-extending flange and a covering of plastic material surrounding and inclosing said flange, said covering being formed with alternate depressions and raised portions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1 HENRY WALDEN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT JAMES EARLEY, CHARLES N. BUTLER. 

